1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of and apparatus for maintaining and feeding of bees within a compound unit and more specifically to a method of and apparatus for maintaining, breeding and feeding bees within a compound unit in which a beekeeper need care for bees within only one of the compartments of the compound.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Generally, individual bee swarms are maintained separately within a bee house or compound and treated individually by a beekeeper. Treating the bees entails feeding, caring for, dividing and otherwise maintaining the bees. Separately maintaining individual swarms requires a considerable amount of work on the part of the beekeeper, the amount being substantially the same for each individual bee swarm. While hobbyists and other part-time beekeepers do not object to working with each individual bee swarm, this approach presents a burden to professional beekeepers because of the considerable amount of work involved. Accordingly, a system that saves work will be advantageous to the professional beekeeper who is interested in obtaining maximum honey output and/or breeding success with a minimum amount of work and time.
Best results in terms of honey output and breeding success are generally obtained from bee swarms which do not have the urge to swarm, because a swarm of bees or throng of bees preparing to swarm does not work efficiently. Swarming generally occurs due to the presence of an excess of nursing bees, i.e., ten to twelve day old bees. Swarming of bees can generally be prevented by removing 3 or 4 closed breeding combs, which include as many as these young nursing bees as is possible, soon after the bees begin to swarm; in this fashion the bee swarm loses its urge to swarm. This generally requires a great deal of time, however, because the breeding combs must be removed separately for each bee swarm. Additionally, the bees are disturbed to an undesireable degree when the combs are removed.